The long-term goal of this proposal is to develop a strong Neuroscience Research Program at Hunter College by bringing together a strong core of Neuroscientists with similar research interests. It is envisaged that the theme of this Neuroscience Program will be "Repairing the Damaged Nervous System". A core of molecular/cellular Neurobiologists will be established, with similar, complementary interests in topics such as neuronal death and survival, axonal regeneration and guidance during development, and myelination, both during development and after disease/injury. By developing this theme in Neuroscience the strengths already at Hunter College will be built upon and expanded. The specific aims of this proposal are: Aim #1: To strengthen the general research theme of "Repairing the Damaged Nervous System" through 3 related projects, which in year 3 of the proposal will be submitted as R01s. It is of note that aspects of these projects are translational and related to health disparities Aim #2: To strengthen and expand technology and its sharing and to promote collaborations via a viral vector core, an electrophysiology core and shared models of regeneration. Aim #3: To develop a sub-theme of Neuroscience within the Biology Department of Hunter College. Funding of this proposal will also allow more outside speakers to be invited to give seminars on Neuroscience. A strong Neuroscience Research Program will also (a) expose undergraduates to Neuroscience at a very early stage of their career and so stimulate an interest in; neuroscience, (b) provide graduate students with more Neuroscience labs to choose from for their! PhD research. New ideas would be stimulated and they would be exposed to a variety of state-of-j the-art techniques and (c) attract strong post-doctoral fellows.